The Last Ordinator
by SethTheScavenger
Summary: A dunmer ordinator in love, arrives home in the most unfortunate time. As his ship sails towards the island of Vvardenfell, the meteor Baar-Dau comes down, crashing the city of Vivec and causes the eruption of the Red Mountain. Against all the odds and despite losing his sight, he carries on to the apocalyptic land ridden with lava and ash, to find the love of his life.
1. Chapter 1 - Homecoming

**Chapter I**

 **Homecoming**

Vvardenfell grew bigger on the horizon. The sea was calm and the sky was clear. A perfect weather for sailing between lands. Fendril Rilios walked up to the upper deck and looked at the landscape with sentiment.

He was an ordinator, an agent of Tribunal, sent on a years long mission in the mainland… Well, at least he was until the Tribunal has fallen. He mourned that great loss, but not as much as his companions, who also were ordinators. Fendril was different.

While the love of other ordinators' lives were Vivec, Sotha Sil and Almalexia, his heart belonged to someone else. Elli Landros, a girl from the city of Balmora. The most beautiful dunmer Fendril has ever seen. Their relationship was so strong that it would withstand even fifteen years of separation.

However, he had to keep it secret, from the Temple and his colleagues. They probably wouldn't have understood that. But now after so many years, once Fendril would be done with all formalities in, now underground, Order of Ordinators, he will have yet another chance to look at the love of his life.

Tribunal may have been already gone, but Order of Ordinators remained, and in most cases their faith was not weakened. They still despised the daedric and aedric gods. But the truth is, that Fendril no longer cared about any gods, he just wanted to see Elli again.

Varyan, Fendril's closest friend on their mission, joined him at the upper deck.

'It's been too long' Varyan said 'I even miss the Ald'ruhn ash.'

Fendril laughed.

'Yeah… I can't wait to finally put the Indoril helmet back on my head.'

Ordinators, once guardians of the temple and the Tribunal, were characteristic for their unique helmets, resembling a face, with a big crest on top. They were sacred and exclusive to the order of ordinators.

'That may not be a good idea to wear it out there. I heard that those n'wahs slowly begin to forget who our true gods are.' Varyan warned him.

'I don't care what they believe… And besides, who would dare to stand against an ordinator.'

'Perhaps the Nerevarine himself…' said Varyan with a bit of fear in his voice.

Nerevarine was an incarnation of an ancient warrior Nerevar Indoril. He was the one to save Morrowind of from wrath of Dagoth Ur, but doing so, he defeated the Tribunal as well. Not many know how he achieved it, but some say it had something to do with ancient dwemer magic.

'He shouldn't be much of a trouble. Didn't you hear the latest news from Ulath? Nerevarine has left for an expedition in Akavir.' said Fendril.

'Akavir… Huh, now that's a journey. Either way I'd watch out when we arrive. It won't be the Morrowind we remember.' said Varyan with his grim dunmer voice.

At the time of midday, Elli didn't like to waste time, she either wandered and explored ancient foyadas or went hunting. She was not the kind of dunmer that would sit in the city all day, counting money or discussing politics. She loved a feel of adventure and she was curious about the world. Thanks to that curiosity she managed to meet Fendril.

Many years ago, Elli managed to collect money for a silk strider ride to the great and beautiful city of Vivec. In such a big and confusing metropolis, many happened to lose their way or get lost. Luckily for those people, ordinators were guarding the streets, and sometimes gave directions to lost travelers. One of those ordinators, was Fendril.

On the upper level of Saint Olms district, Elli walked up to an ordinator who was just admiring the temple of Vivec below.

'Excuse me, sera…' she said. Ordinator turned around and looked at her 'Do you know where I could buy myself a high quality bow?'

Ordinator didn't answer. He was shocked by a beauty of a dunmer he was just looking at. As usually, their bodies were completely covered by their sacred Indoril armor, except for the eyes, which in his case, didn't not fit the grim face that helmet represented. They were charmed by Elli's beauty, but he couldn't help it. Part of him wanted to act professional and just show her the way, but the other wanted to get to know her better. He was already going to do the first thing, until he saw that her beautiful red eyes say the same thing.

'It's rare to see a lady as beautiful as you looking for a tool for killing.'

Elli chuckled.

'Well, I am not like the others. I love to get out often, but the cliff racers are still out there.' she said. Ordinator replied with laughter.

'Hah, what's true is true… Those n'wahs…'

'You, sera, seem to be different as well. The other ordinator didn't bother to help me, and said that "he is watching me".' said Elli ironically, while trying to imitate the grim voice of a male dunmer.

The ordinator laughed again.

'Yeah, they tend to do that. You're not from here, so, let me guess… Ald'ruhn?'

'No. Closer, but not too close.'

The ordinator smiled under his helmet, and Elli could really see that by his eyes.

'Balmora.' he said, to which she replied with a smile 'I knew it.'

A moment of uncomfortable silence between these two began. They stood there and enjoyed that moment until Elli said:

'So… coming back to my original question…'

'Oh, yes… You should try the Foreign Quarter, if you want a good price, or Hlaalu Canton if it is quality that you seek.'

'Thank you, sera…'

'Please, you don't need to call me like that… My name is Fendril.'

Elli bowed gently.

'Elli Landros… I'm afraid I have to go now… I don't want to get late for my silk strider…'

As Elli began to slowly walk away, Fendril stopped her.

'Wait! Are you ever going to come back here to Vivec?'

'I doubt it. I barely managed to earn gold for the ride here and a new bow… I don't think I will…' Elli stopped the moment Fendril threw a satchel to her. She caught it and heard the gold coins inside. She looked at it with disbelief.

'I usually have to guard the city all day, and in the evening I don't even have time to grab sujamma with my colleagues. You're going to find more use for those coins.'

'I… I don't know how to thank you…'

'Just come back.'

Elli smiled.

'I will…'

'If you ever have trouble finding me…'

'There won't be any trouble. I will never forget those eyes…'

Elli liked to go back to her past while wondering the hills and foyadas surrounding Balmora. She was so courageous that sometimes she would even enter ancient dwemer ruins or explore daedric shrines.

But this time she had to get back home early. A couple of weeks ago Elli received a letter from Fendril, saying that he will be coming back. He specified that on the second day of Sun's Dawn he and his companions are going to get on a boat to Vvardenfell, which means that on the third he would be back. It was that day.

Elli awaited on balcony of the Lucky Lockup inn, which gave a good look at the road to Balmora as well as the beautiful landscape, with Ministry of Truth hanging in the air in a distant horizon.

The boat was getting closer. Fendril could already tell where Vivec is, not because he could see the city, but what's hanging above it. A huge meteor, frozen in the air, with the Ministry of Truth built inside.

According to the legends, the daedric lord Sheogorath directed the meteor Baar-Dau at the city to obliviate it. However, thanks to his powers, the living god of the Tribunal, Vivec, froze it in the air right before it would hit the city. Allegedly, if ever his people stopped loving him, the warrior poet would let go of the spell and let the meteor destroy them.

It was a cute story, or at least that's what Fendril thought about it. However, one thing made him wonder for some time. If Vivec is dead, then what was holding the meteor in the air? And what would happen if it actually fell? The city of Vivec would be a great loss, but it wouldn't affect Fendril's life, for now Balmora would become his new home. When he thought about it, he wouldn't really have much problem with meteor falling. He believed it was low enough that it would only ruin Vivec, and perhaps shake the ground a little, nothing more. But that was only a thought of a bored man waiting to get off the boat and get home.

'So, what are you doing when we come back?' Varyan asked Fendril, who answered in unsure way.

'I think I will take some vacations. I was always curious to see Balmora. And you?

'I'll go to Vivec. The ordinators are forming a new hideout under the city, that's where our power is centered now. Even high ordinators from Mournhold came over. We could really use your help…'

Fendril sighed.

'I don't think I can do it any longer without any rest. But one day in the future… Who knows?'

'Sure, but don't forget who we are…'

Fendril smiled.

'We are house Indoril.'

As the sun was going down, Elli leaned on a stone fence, admired the view from the balcony and wondered about her future. About her and Fendril. About the journeys and adventures they could experience together. She looked into the future and felt happiness.

However at some point, she began to see strange things happening in the south, almost as if the meteor, floating above Vivec, gloomed with a violet light. She has never seen anything like it.

Varyan suddenly noticed something strange happening in the surroundings of Vivec. He poked Fendril and pointed at it.

'You see that?' he asked.

'Yes… bizarre…'

Now it wasn't just Elli. Gradually, more people noticed that odd phenomenon. Some began to whisper between each other, theorize.

Suddenly, the violet gloom disappeared, and instantly Baar-Dau dropped down to the ground with unbelievable speed. The moment it disappeared, a gigantic explosion lighted up the evening sky. At this point light drew everyone's attention. All dunmers or outlanders, from the streets and from the rooftops stood up and looked upon the big, shining cloud that the explosion made. Very quickly after it happened, a shockwave could be seen, wrecking the landscape, ripping trees from the ground… and coming straight at Elli.

Once it hit, she flew over the entire balcony and fell down to the street between the buildings. Immediately afterwards a powerful earthquake began. Buildings crumbled, people fell over and the ground felt unsafe. And finally Elli could hear the sound of the explosion. Thunder alike rumble, that echoed across entire Vvardenfell.

Fendril and Varyan looked at the explosion with shock in their red eyes, and soon other ordinators joined them at the upper deck. Shockwave coming at them almost managed to shatter the boat, and made one of the ordinators fall into the water. Now, sea was in chaos, with the waves reaching height of a grown up altmer.

Ordinators tried to save their colleague, but the sea already took him away. There was no time for that, they had to control the boat.

'We have to turn around! We will never be able to reach Vvardenfell in such conditions!' yelled one of the ordinators. Fendril looked at him furiously while water splashed in their faces and boat flipped over in many different directions on the chaotic waves.

'No! Not when we are so close!' yelled Fendril.

'Are you mad! We are all gonna get killed!'

'No! I've waited too long!' said Fendril upon approaching the other ordinator, and afterwards hit him in the face so hard that he fell on the deck. Fendril took his place, grabbed the steer, and directed their boat at Seyda Neen, the closest port city.

'We are going home!'

Elli tried to stand up, but the ground was treacherous. She ran towards a bigger square upon the entrance to Balmora, where no rumble could hurt her. There, she and many others sat down, waiting for this nightmare to end. But, it didn't, it only got worse.

The Red Mountain that always stood so proudly above the Ashlands, erupted and squirted with rivers of magma. Elli immediately stood up. She didn't know what to do. She looked around for ideas desperately, until she saw it. The dwemer ruins of Arknghtzam, which stood on a hill above Balmora. She suddenly remembered how Fendril told her stories of the magical dwemer architecture. Fortresses that could withstand many wars and even time itself.

Elli immediately stood up and yelled to everyone around her:

'Hey! Everyone! I know a place where we will be safe! Follow me!'

Most of the people just looked high up at magma pouring over in the distance, with terror in their eyes, but with a lot of convincing, they all followed her.

The ordinator attacked by Fendril took his revenge. A brawl ensued. Despite the unconventional circumstances, they fought fist to fist while others tried to stop them.

Suddenly they could all hear a characteristic rumble, not as loud as before, but more threatening. Everyone stopped and looked in direction of Vvardenfell. Red Mountain erupted. Fendril immediately looked at the foyadas where Balmora would be located.

'Oh no… Elli…'

'Now we are definitely not going there!'

'No!' yelled Fendril 'We need to help them!'

'Help who?! They are all dead!'

Fendril quickly took out his sword and threatened everyone with it.

'We will not abandon our people! If you want to, then run away, seek refuge, go spend another decades in Cyrodill, live among filthy nords, or get murdered by an argonian seeking revenge… But know that there is no bigger shame than giving up, at this very moment!'

Elli and other civilians ran up the hill towards the dwemer ruins which stood still, unaffected by catastrophe taking place. Even guards of Balmora threw away their helmets and ran in fear.

Suddenly one young dunmer stopped as he saw a huge river of magma pouring over the norther foyadas.

'Hey! What are you doing? We need to go!'

'My brother… He stayed in Caldera…'

'Listen, I am sure he found a place to hide, but it's too late to go there for him. If you hide now, you may still get to see him.'

'Alright' said the boy and continued.

Red Mountain rumbled once again, louder. This time the tight crater on it's top exploded and bursted with magma. Elli looked at it with disbelief. Those were the last seconds of the old Vvardenfell.

'...there is no bigger shame than giving up, at this very moment!' yelled Fendril. Before anyone managed to answer him, Red Mountain rumbled again. It's peak exploded in an unbelievable way over the entire island, covering it by thick wave of ash, which reached as far as their boat.

'Everyone, hide!' yelled Varyan. And as he said, everyone crouched down and covered their faces, except for Fendril. In shock, he just stared at the huge explosion of ash devouring his homeworld, as well as the love of his life. For a moment he completely forgot what he should do, and the ash shockwave pierced his widely opened eyes.

Fendril could no longer see anything. He fell down, but felt nothing else except for extreme, sore pain in his eyes. Gradually he stopped even feeling that. Until there was nothing.

Red Year began, and affected everyone. Southern shore of island Solshteim has been ruined and devoured of life, just like all the lands surrounding Vvardenfell. The earthquake caused floods on Black Marsh, which drowned local roads. Even people of the Imperial City in Cyrodill could feel the ground shake during their supper, and in the province of Skyrim an entire cliff cracked off, falling into the sea together with the city of Winterhold.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Land of Ash

**Chapter II**

 **The Land of Ash**

Fendril woke up. He didn't know where he is. He couldn't see anything and his eyes hurt. He could only hear a distant sound of the waves, but except for that, nothing but silence. He was lying on something soft, but is was no sand or dirt… It was ash… There was ash everywhere. Fendril could barely breathe. He took his scarf and considering the fact that he couldn't see, covered his entire head with it.

'Hello!' he yelled. No answers 'Anyone!' he yelled again. Nothing.

Fendril decided to walk, although it seemed pointless. As he tried to do that, his feet sank in thick layers of ash. He didn't know what to do, so he just carried on. He didn't know what time it was, where he was or what was around him, only from time to time he would trip over some harder objects. Without even the feeling of time, Fendril just walked, until he fell for the final time and didn't manage to get up.

About ten mysterious beings fought against one. He was outnumbered. They ripped him apart in half, and took out his heart. Two pieces of his body were thrown away into the sky, and they stayed there, one bigger, second smaller.

One of the beings took his bow, and walked up to the top of the adamantine tower. He shoot the heart out far away. Heart flew and flew until came down towards a great mountain on a great island, and pierced through the rock. Heart laid deep beneath the ground, and through the hole it made, magma began to pour out to the island, corrupting most of it's flora.

Fendril suddenly woke up. He was no longer lying on the ash. It was rock.

'You're awake! Thank the gods' Fendril heard a soft voice.

'Where am I?'

'Don't worry we are underground.' Indeed, Fendril could hear that. Echoing of other voices, groaning, sobbing 'It's incredible that you made it out alive.'

'Did you find anyone else.' Fendril asked nervously.

'I'm afraid not, the few that were brave enough to leave the cave managed to find only you.'

'Did they find a wreckage of a ship?'

'No, it would be almost impossible.'

'I need to find it! There is something very important onboard!'

'I don't think you realize the seriousness of this situation…'

'Wait a second…' said Fendril and searched for any face in front of him with his hands. Once he found it, he ran his fingers across man's ears.

'What in oblivion are you doing?'

'You are not even a mer.'

'A what?'

Fendril pushed his head away angrily.'

'An elf, you fletcher… Let me talk to a real dunmer!'

'Move away son, I will take care of this one.' Fendril heard a grim voice of a senile dunmer.

He could now feel more comfortable now, so he leaned on a rock wall behind him.

'Do you know who I am?' Fendril asked the senile dunmer.

'Parts of armor that still remain on your body say enough, ordinator.'

'Finally… And where are we really?'

'We are in a cave right outside Seyda Neen, or at least what it is now.'

'What happened to other places? Do you know if Balmora is alright?

'No, we don't know about anything outside of that cave. Ash fog outside doesn't let us see anything further than a reach of your hand.'

'I don't care. Is there anyone who would dare step outside and lead me… My eyes… They are gone.'

'It's not as bad as you may think.'

'How does it look like?

'They have lost the red color, but they have a grey tint, almost like the ash.'

'So, I'm still handsome… Huh… Will you help me find my cargo, and my companions.'

'Yes. We have to leave the cave at some point. We are running low on food.'

'Thank you, sera…'

Fendrel heard creaking of the doors and then the softness of the ground, while the senile dunmer lead him.

'How does it look like?' asked Fendrel.

'Ground is nothing but ash, the air is filled with ash… Ash even rains from the sky, together with a balls of magma falling from time to time. We need to be careful not to get hit with any of them.' answered a young dunmer that lead them through the fog.

Their first goal was to reach the shore, then... improvise. They couldn't move fast, for they could see much in front of them and the ground was treacherous. After a longer time the young dunmer stopped them and said:

'This is where the shore is supposed to be, but the problem is… That there is no water around us.'

What could have happened? What else has changed about the island in those recent events? There was no sea. Only the terrifying silence. The three continued trekking through the ash for half of an hour, only then did Fendrel hear the familiar sound…

'Water. I can hear the sea!' Fendrel gasped.

'What? I can't…' answered the young dunmer.

Fendrel freed himself from old man's grip and began walking towards the sound of water. All followed him until, they could hear the sea as well.

'Watch out sera!' yelled a young dunmer, but Fenderl didn't manage to react in time and stumbled on a hard object, which made a wooden sound.

'What was that?' he asked.

'It is a part of a ship!'

Fendrel quickly reached for the ground, but to his disappointment it was a mere bunch of wooden planks emerging from layers of ash.

'I need to find my chest!' Fendrel said, but met with no answer. He turned his head with confusement and awaited for any voice.

'It may be impossible. There is wreckage all around the coast.' some dunmer spoke out 'It could be anywhere.'

Fendrel sat down on the soft ash with disappointment. He could hear harsh coughing of his companions.

'We need to go back. We won't make it with this air all around us.' said a young dunmer. Space indeed felt airless.

'The cave grows fuggy as well with so many of us inside. We need to think of something else…'

While the two dunmers argued, a bizarre feeling came over Fendrel, sort of vibrations.

'Do you feel that?' he asked and once again met with no answer, but confusement of his peers.

The vibrations were getting stronger. They send a shiver up the Fendrel 's body. He could feel the epicenter of this mysterious energy. It was in the ground, so he started digging blindly with his hands. The ash was filthy, mixed with water and mud, but ultimately Fendrel felt something else on the tips of his fingers, a wooden chest. The content was magical, Fendrel could feel that somehow, and he knew well what that was.

It was a relief to step on the solid floor of the cave. Fendrel could hear someone putting a chest on the ground in front of him. He slowly reached out with his hand, looking for a lock and found it exactly where he expected. That was his chest for sure. Fendrel reaches to a satchel that by some miracle didn't get lost when he washed up on the coast. Inside was a key.

Fendrel opened the chest and finally got a chance to get back his valuable equipment. He remembered every scratch on his Indoril helmet, every strand of hair of the characteristic crest. It was quite an emotional reunion. Ordinator and his armor. After so many years of wearing it, this mixture of metal, bone meal and resin became a part of him. Besides that, it was a set of the most valuable items he has ever possessed in his life, as on his journeys throughout Cyrodill he practiced the art of enchanting and saturated every piece of armor with magical energy, giving it amazing properties.

With the entirety of the Indoril armor on his body, Fendrel felt empowered. Ready to take on what was outside, ready to find Elli. He almost forgot he has lost his eyesight.

At first he thought the vibrations he felt on the outside was him sensing the magic emanating from his armor, but he was mistaken. Somehow, Fendrel could sense his surroundings and space all around him. That made moving around the cave much easier without help, although the senile dunmer assisted him most of the time. It's been almost a day on the inside.

'I need to go.' said Fendrel.

'Outside?' the old man asked ironically.

'I need to go to Balmora.'

'All structures in this area were wiped off the ground. There it will be even worse. It is quite possible you will not even find a trail of the river or foyadas themselves…'

'But the dwemer towers will stand still.' Fendrel interrupted 'I need to find her…'

'Oh… I see now. It is about… her.' said the old man with a strong accent on the last word.

'Look, I am leaving this place whether you like it or not… But I admit that I need help. We are running low on food anyway, and we cannot survive with nothing else than the cave water. Will you be my guide?'

Old dunmer chuckled.

'Young boy… How do you expect me to survive out there? I am just an old dunmer…' he said, but couldn't finish before Fendrel interrupted him once again:

'I know you are more than that.'

Fendrel suddenly felt something. A source of energy in close proximity to him. With a sudden wave of urge, he grabbed it. It was old mer's staff. Fendrel had just realized that he could hear him walking with it before, as the hard end on the bottom tip made a metallic voice when struck against a rock. It was a source of great magic.

'You can feel that, don't you?' asked the old man with curiosity, and some confusement in his grim voice.

'Yes…'

'Were you ever trained in the school of mysticism?'

'Not much… Definitely not enough to detect magic in such a way.'

Old man grabbed Fendrel's head boldly, as if he wanted to inspect his eyes. He met with no resistance.

'Peculiar… What happened to your eyes exactly?' old dunmer asked. Fendrel sighed with pain.

'As the red mountain erupted, it was an epicenter of some sort of… grand explosion. A wave of ash covered the entire mountain and went as far as the sea. I was… I… could not believe what I was seeing. I just stood there, on our boat, when it hit us. The ash pierced my eyes… I don't remember anything afterwards…'

'Hmm… Ash straight from the Red Mountain. Are you aware of what lied deep within the dwemer ruins, beyond the Ghostfence?' old dunmer sled mysteriously. Fendrel did not answer, due to his confusement 'A source of great magic, a divine power, one that could grant immortality, and other unnatural abilities…'

'Where are you getting with all this?'

'This ancient source of magic has been destroyed a couple of years ago, but it is not impossible that the mountain soaked with magical energy, emanating from the divine heart for thousands of years. Through that ash, you might have been granted one of the last gifts from Lorkhan himself.

Fendrel did not understand what the old dunmer was talking about, or what a dead aedra had to do with this, but he trusted him.

'What is this gift then?' Fendrel asked.

'We shall see…'


	3. Chapter 3 - Into the Mist

**Chapter III**

 **Into the Mist**

Fendrel and an old dunmer, know by everyone as "the Sage", left the cave together. In comparison to the inside, it was much harder to get a hold of the sense of space. Again, everything they could hear was a disturbing silence, with momentary, ambient sounds of explosions. Fendrel could feel the ash in the air on his face, and when trying to breathe, so he put on his Indoril mask, covering his entire head.

'We must head north.' he said.

The journey was much longer and harder than both of them expected. Moving through the ash felt almost like moving through a swamp, with Fendrel tripping over all the time. Once in a while fragments of Red Mountain came down from sky like meteors. In the mist of ash only their sound could warn Fendrel and the Sage of the danger. They encountered no signs of any cities or life. All of that was evaporated in the past days. It was hard to comprehend that their homeland was gone, even impossible. For both of them it felt like they were walking an alien land, as if it was an expedition to discover the unknown. The place they were just passing through could have been the imperial village of Pelagiad once, but now it was a big crater with a big, warm rock in the middle, straight from the blazing volcano.

At night, the mist of ash made it impossible to travel, as in the late hours complete darkness took over Vvardenfell landscape. The only choice of those two, lost travelers, was to find any ancient tombs, that were spread all over the island. Those underground places of burial were the only remaining pieces of their civilization left.

Sleeping was not easy inside of those tombs. Instead of burying their ancestors, dunmer cremated them and poured the ash of each generation on one pile. Fendrel and the Sage tried to stay as far away from the as they could. They could almost hear the whispers of all the the dead lying in the tombs. Therefore getting a rest was hard in such night stops. However, right before the sleep the Sage sat down and taught Fendrel about the magic of mysticism. Each lesson somewhat helped him to better find himself in the surroundings without his eyesight.

After a few tiring days, the two reached a shallow valley. The Sage said:

'It is here. We are standing above Balmora.'

Fendrel kneeled down and put his hand to the ash below him. He sensed something strange… As if he could feel the ruined buildings buried underground. However, the sense spread, further and further until reaching some sort of a big structure, right to the two.

'The dwemer fortress…' Fendrel uttered. The Sage did not answer, probably due to his confusion. 'A dwemer fortress stood on a hill nearby… It's walls were supposedly enchanted with incredible magic. It may have endured the happening.'

'Do you believe it managed to save them?' The Sage asked.

'I know it… And so did she.'

The Sage led Fendrel up the hill, to east. On the way, the old man noted:

'There is something unnatural within the ash… Almost as if it was cursed with a merethic magic.'

There was nothing to be seen ahead. Only after extensive searches did the Sage say:

'We found it…' The Sage said, but then started coughing harshly.

'Are you alright sera?' Fendrel asked after the coughing settled.

'Oh… I will be alright… Do not worry about me young elf.' The Sage replied and then went silent, probably to look around and inspect the area. 'There are tracks in the ash… Someone left the ruins after the happening. Perhaps there is still some people inside.' The Sage theorized enthusiastically and led Fendrel inside. However, upon crossing metal doors, the old man gasped in shock.

'What is wrong?' Fendrel asked nervously.

'There are bodies in here… Three dead dunmer and one argonian.'

'Is any of them a young female?'

'No.' The Sage answered. Fendrel sighed in relief and asked.

'How did they die?'

'All killed by blade… There is something worrying at works here…' The Sage said and started coughing once again, this time much harsher.

'Are you sure it's nothing?' Fendrel asked.

'My lungs have breathed a thousand years of air… But this ash will be a death of them… As I have said, do not worry about me… I doubt any restoration could help me anymore. My death will be inevitable, it is a matter of time.' The Sage chuckled. Fendrel only nodded his head in acceptance, but did not answer. His mind was preoccupied.

'We need to follow the tracks!' He said with confidence, ready to walk back outside… But the Sage did not move.

'The hour grows late… And the land goes dark earlier than usual. We should rest here and wait for another day.'

Fendrel hesitated to answer, irritated by the waste of time, but he restrained himself and said:

'Fine.'

The reality had a strange aura… It was surreal. Fendrel walked around the edge of a perfectly circular crater. Inside, were pools of boiling water, steam, ash and fire. In its very middle, lied something important, but all that Fendrel could see was blinding light. Fendrel has to reach it… He had to understand it...

Fendrel woke up from his dream. Sage's increasing illness caused was the cause for their unrest, as the old man started coughing more and more. Though Fendrel could not see him, he was somehow able to sense the life within him and where it was exactly. It was growing weaker. He approached the Sage and kneeled down above him.

'Is it happening, sera?'

'Yes…' Hoarse voice said 'I can barely breathe anymore…'

'Who shall lead me through the wastelands then?'

'You…' the Sage uttered and handed Fendrel his staff. The Ordinator was able to feel the vibrating magicka emanating from it. 'This is no ordinary staff. It does not possess a specific enchantment of its own… It channels and enhances the magical capabilities of its wielder. You are starting to feel things around you, detect life… This will help you find… What you are bound to find.'

'Thank you, sera.'

The old man dropped his hold of the staff and then Fendrel felt it… As if he was dozens times stronger than he was. He was now able to sense more precisely the area around him, the ancient dwemer walls and the structure of the rocks surrounding it.

'The staff will serve as your support for now… But with time, you will not need it anymore… Like I once said… You were given a gift… You may no longer see with your eyes… But you will see with your mind…' the Sage uttered. Each word was harder and harder for him to pronounce as his lung inhaled less and less air. 'I have only one… Final request before I die…'

'Anything.' Fendrel reassured him kindly.

'Don't you find it interesting… That despite that tragedy… Most of our people were met their fate according to the ancient traditions… Burnt to ash and buried with it… I want to die the same way. We will go where Balmora once stood and through that staff, you will blast me with a fire so strong… It shall incinerate me where I stand… Above all other who died the same way.'

'If that is what you wish…'

Fendrel did what he was asked to do. The two walked out the dwemer ruins, while the Sage still had a strength to do it and carried on forward, to the place where Balmora stood. Fendrel took a few steps away from the old dunmer and turned in his direction. He raised the staff. It felt like an extension of his body and mind. He was able to channel his destruction spells through its power. The Sage coughed painfully and said:

'It is time…'

'Thank you for all, sera… Farewell…' Fendrel said and through the staff casted fireball, a fireball more powerful than any he has ever witnessed. From the sound, he could tell that he did not miss and that it struck the Sage. However, there were no screams… Fendrel felt the life force in front of him fading away, despite the circumstances, peacefully.

Fendrel was all alone once again, but this time, he was more understanding about the world around him. He took into consideration a dream he had not long ago. A huge crater, and the mystery lying within it. Perhaps that was a place where he was supposed to be… Perhaps that is a place that would have led him to Elli Landros. That could have been only one place and so… Fendrel, the last Ordinator set out south, to a place that once was Vivec City.

The trek was mundane and exhilarating. Fendrel was unable to tell day from the night, since the temperature around him stayed the same all day long. It was a boiling heat, which made the journey even harder. He was afraid that the terrifying silence would drive him mad. With time, his small supplies of water and food ran out and had to take strength only from the magicka around him.

Only after a few days… He felt something incredible. A solitary life, other than him, hiding somewhere within the ground. He wanted to reach it, but he was lacking strength to do so. Each step was harder to make, until Fendrel fell on his knees. However, he carried on like this, dreaming that this life out there was Elli herself… He was sure of it. When he had no more strength to walk on his knees, he started crawling, but with his mask in the ash… It was to breathe. He slowly started to lose his senses, but carried on forward, until he could no longer move any part of his body. The only, last thing he could do was to let out a loud yell:

'Elli!'

Fendrel woke up to a touch of bottle being pressed against his lips. Someone attempted to give him water. He opened his mouth and let it be poured into his mouth. It was a relief to have his mouth hydrated after such a long time. He was barely able to move, but able to utter a few words:

'Elli… Is that you?' He asked. In response, he met only with a chuckle of a dunmer male.

'I am sorry to disappoint, Ordinator.'

Fendrel sighed sadly and asked:

'Where are we?'

'One could name it… My home. Built into a rock and protected by powerful magic… Safe from the outside, for now. I've been living here for about two years now. I have built the place myself and it feels quite rewarding…'

'Who are you?' Fendrel interrupted him.

'Your eyes are not able to see, are they?

'Do they look like it to you?' Fendrel asked with irritation. The dunmer chuckled.

'No…'

'Who are you then?'

'Well… Just call me… the Warrior Poet.'


End file.
